Customer Reviews

Shopping for Buddhas

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Although often very funny, the book is not frivolous. There is plenty of self-deprecating humor in it, some of it quite broad, but there is also searing criticism of corruption (exporting looted antiquities and importing heroin, both tied to the Nepali royal family) and the corruption of production of images of gods, goddesses, and Buddhas for the tourist market. Some of the humor is very mordant. I happened to be reading this book in another tourist-overrun part of Southeast Asia where there are many shoddy Buddhas for sale, and just after reading Mark Twain's _Roughing It_. _Shopping for Buddhas_ seemed to me more reliable and every bit as funny as Mark Twain's tale of going and staying in the American West and getting halfway to Kathmandu (Hawai'i).

I think travel, regardless of the country(ies) it might take you, is perhaps best approached with a touch of whimsy and a sense of adventure. Truly seasoned travelers have the ability and willingness to absorb another culture while laughing at both the experiences they face and at the preconceived notions they bring with them. I've just finished Shopping with Buddhas and Greenwald seems to be that kind of traveler.

I enjoyed this book because, among other things, it brought the colors of the subcontinent (where I grew up) to life. Greenwald spends most of the book in a near obsessive hunt for a perfect statue of the Buddha, only to find it when he is least expecting it and at a price he is hesitant to pay. Which, when you think about it, is an interesting reflection on how things of true value come to us when we least expect it, and ask of us a price we may not be willing to pay at first. I also like that Greenwald is unafraid to take whimsical potshots at his western outlook on many eastern situations! I grew up in the subcontinent and now live in the West, so I do exactly the same thing-in reverse!

An interesting read whether you are headed to the East or, like me, are a commuter dreaming of warmer climes!

The first stories written bu Jeff Greenwald I had chance to read in the wonderful book Traveler's Tales - Hong Kong, where he happened to be one of the contributors. So when I saw the book written by Greenwald himself, I could not resist but test his writing again. If you are looking for the enlightments or truly literary achievement, do not waste your time. This book will not give you that. However, if you are looking into exploring in 200 pages or less adventures of California man in search of perfect Buddha statue in Nepal, then go for it. The book will give you another perspective of expatriates abroad who are trying to make ends meet, but at the same time are genuinely drawn to the mysticism of the Far East. Mr. Greenwald is not pretending to be the one who will bring Buddhism closer to Western world's. Rather, in his own way he brings us to HIS story of the way(s) of finding perfect Buddha statue. Light read, lots of fun. And you can always give this book to a friend for fun read after you are finished yourself...

I liked this book! I took the text for face value - what I read is what I got. I did not look beneath the skin for hidden meanings or innuendos. And, as such, I thought it was a wonderful, humorous read with insight from the experiences of an author who clearly cares about the country and the people. I liked the personal, open approach of the text, which is presented in an accessible writing style. Amongst my favorite parts were the descriptions of the life of the Buddha and of the Hindu gods, which were presented in a reader-friendly way. It seems to me that the reviews on Amazon are, for the most part, unfair. I didn't get the idea that Greenwald ever set out to define Buddhism; and I didn't sense an "arrogance" in his story. Rather, I took it as his journey in a Buddhist country whose culture and people captured and led him towards a quest for what he considered a "perfect" image of the Buddha that would always be with him, to either still or energize the mind. I thought it was a great thread to pull the text together. Surely anyone reading this book will connect with the author's commitment to conveying his experiences of Shopping for Buddhas.

I bought this book while traveling through Thailand and undergoing my own quest for an acceptable Buddha (perfection was too high a standard). Yeah, the writer comes across as self-absorbed and arrogant, and he reminded me of fellow Westerners who had embarrassed me during my travels. However, this book was an entertaining read with situations that I could identify with. I needed an escape and some laughs after challenges encountered during travel in Asia, and this book gave those laughs to me. I wasn't expecting perfection from the writer, just entertainment.

I first learned of Jeff Greenwald from the book "A Sense of Place" which is a collection of interviews with authors best known for their travel/adventure writing.

Having been intrigued by the concept behind this book, I immediately checked Amazon to see how well it was received. I was quite surprised to find reviews that ran the spectrum from "Loved it" to "Hated it." I fall into the "Loved it" category.

Jeff's writing is very real, down to earth, funny and intelligent. He's not afraid to admit when he's made a cultural faux pas, and I think this makes for quite an entertaining read. Live and learn, right?

Other readers found the pursuit of the Buddha trite and materialistic, but I saw it as a search for much more. For perfection in one self, a sense of beginning, or one of closure. I have a feeling that this book ended up being a great deal more thought provoking than the author originally intended. The ending of this book actually moved me to tears.

I highly recommend this book, as well as "The Size of The World" by the same author.

Jeff Greenwald takes us on a cosmic shopping trip around Nepal, looking for the perfect statue of Buddha. While he sometimes gets wrapped up in his own karma, he has a nice tongue-in-cheek attitude to his quest and is perfectly able to make fun of himself. If you're more interested in the travel side than the spritual, you could skim through the Buddhist history, though the descriptions thereof do give an accessible background to Greenwald's search. Even if your souvenir headaches have only extended to that perfect Balinese sarong, anyone can enjoy this tale of spiritual materialism. The final pre-departure encounter with a customs official is almost too perfect an ending to the quest- but I won't say any more about that!

My spouse, who is on her way to India and Nepal insisted I read this book. Greenwald's search for the perfect statue of the Buddha in Nepal left me alternately laughing and crying. Laced with Buddhist stories and insights into magical Katmandu, along with incisive commentary on corruption, repression, and drug dealing by the royal family in the Hindu kingdom, he turns the comical aspects of his own quest into a confrontation with reality. For those of us who are just a little too serious, it could help to lighten up a bit.

Greenwald offers to readers an introspective look at his visits to Nepal, and his desire to acquire the perfect Buddha statue. Intermingled with his discussions of his shopping expeditions are stories and analogies about Buddhist Gods and the Buddhist and Hindu religions. He also provides an historical look at Nepalese government, and the current (1990) state of the Kingdom.

Greenwald's writing is a bit scattered, yet it was easy to read and enjoy. I have a friend who reads quite a lot of travel books and I recommended this to him quite highly.

So if you are interested in world religions, politics and travel, this would be a light hearted treat.

I am getting ready for my first trip to Nepal and this book was recommended to me. It provides a great peek into Nepalese culture and I feel now that I am really ready to arrive in Nepal not as a tourist but as someone slightly conversant in traditions.